A chocolate bunny or chocolate rabbit is a piece of chocolate in the shape of a rabbit, usually stylized, and generally hollow. [1] The cocoa confection is related to the religious Easter holiday that occurs annually around the months of March and April. [2] The chocolate shaped bunny can be wrapped in a colorful tin-foil, a decorated box, or simply the chocolate itself. [1]
The notable Easter Bunny was introduced to Christians by German folklore in the early 13th century. [3] Stories of an egg-laying white hare fostered the popular egg and rabbit Easter theme and traditions. [3] In the Bible, rabbits are known for being a sign of fertility and new life in which the chocolate bunny now denotes to. [3] Chocolate bunny molds are believed to have been first introduced in Germany and later brought to America. [3] By the early 1920s chocolate bunnies became a household tradition in the United States to commemorate the holiday. [4]
Two separate bunny-shaped molds are filled with chocolate, which will later be connected to create the common hollow chocolate bunny shape. [1] Once the molds are filled, machines shake the chocolate around to ensure complete and even filling. [1] Many companies often wrap the hardened chocolate bunny in decorated foil to ensure freshness, while still being festive. [1] The bunnies often come in cardboard and plastic packaging to ensure the delicate chocolate does not break. [1]
Chocolate is one of the most commonly sold treats around the national Easter Holiday; in some years, chocolate sales can surpass $400 million a few weeks before the holiday. [5] Chocolate bunnies can be found for sale in many drugstores and grocery stores in America a few months or weeks leading up to Easter. The religious holiday comes in second place, after Halloween, for selling the most candy during a holiday season. [6] Today, the chocolate bunny is a staple for many Easter baskets around the world. More than 50% of people in the United States prefer chocolate bunnies and eggs over other candies as their choice of an Easter treat. [2] Due to their overwhelming popularity, over 90 million chocolate bunnies are produced yearly for consumers in the United States. [6]
A 2011 article in the Medical Journal of Australia criticised the Easter bunny's use in marketing to children. The author was concerned this could encourage overconsumption, harming children's health. [7]
In 2000, Lindt’s chocolate bunny was granted trademark status. This has led to several legal battles, including in 2011 against Hauswirth in a Vienna court, and by the supermarket Lidl in Switzerland. [8]